‘This is a healing journey’ – hiker on mental health mission reaches Shetland
Daniel Hunt will trek the isles for the next three weeks
A HIKER who packed his life into a rucksack and set off to walk the UK after hitting “rock bottom” is trekking across Shetland this month.
Daniel Hunt left his mother’s doorstep in Maidenhead on 1 June this year, and has never looked back on his quest to walk the entire UK coastline in aid of a mental health charity.
Hunt’s mission is personal as well. After years of issues with alcohol, he says he decided to set off on a sober journey across the UK to mend his own mental health.
The 37-year-old arrived in Shetland yesterday morning (Friday) and set off walking north – where he will eventually reach Unst – before coming back down the way to Sumburgh.
And he has already been bowled by the Shetland hospitality, something he jokes he was “warned about” when in Orkney recently.
“The people are incredible,” he told Shetland News on Friday afternoon.
“People keep pulling their cars over to offer me a lift, and I keep having to tell people ‘no thanks, I don’t need a lift’. Already the people have been so friendly here.”
As if to accentuate the point, as Hunt responds a car beeps his horn and waves to him.
“I love a bit of Shetland,” he laughed.
This is day 157 of Hunt’s journey across the UK, and he has a long road ahead of him – literally and figuratively – with the adventure not expected to end for at least another year.
He is no stranger to a marathon mission. The former army man explained that he had cycled across 23 countries in Europe and canoed the length of the river Thames.
“I don’t do things in halves,” he said. “I’m an all or nothing guy.”
This UK-wide journey had a difficult starting point for Hunt, though. He said that he had long suffered severely with depression and an addiction to alcohol, which had culminated with him hitting “rock bottom” earlier this year.
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“AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] and counselling just weren’t working for me,” he said.
“I never used to talk about my problems, and then I hit rock bottom. That was the main purpose of this, just to get out hiking and to get out into nature.”
He said that he had a flat, a job as a painter/decorator and “everything that should make you happy in life” before an episode earlier this year.
Hunt decided then to take on this challenge, and within weeks of reaching his lowest ebb “packed my life into a rucksack” and set off.
Leaving his mother’s doorstep on 1 June, Hunt started walking and has not stopped since. What did his family make of him taking this step?
“They were worried,” Hunt admitted.
“They were worried because they know what I’m like, but they’re very proud of me.
“I have the most loving family in the world, they just want me to get better and support me in anything I do.
“I can pick up the phone to them at any given moment.”
It is not just Hunt’s family who are proud of his journey so far. He says he is proud of himself as well.
“This is the first time I have been sober since I picked up alcohol,” he admitted.
“I have the most addictive personality you will ever meet. But I’m sober and healthy, my mind is clear.
“I still have ups and downs every single day, mental health is a big part of my life.
“But I can’t even talk about how beautiful this has been – it’s a healer, just getting out in the fresh air, having nice views.”
“I never used to talk about my problems, and then I hit rock bottom” – Daniel Hunt
Across his trek so far Hunt has been met with “nothing but positivity”.
He is raising money for the Mental Health Foundation on his walk, but for him it is not just about that.
Through his Instagram page he is cataloguing every step of his mental health journey, and he wants to be an inspiration for more people who are suffering.
“I want to spread the word as much as possible,” he added.
His mind is in a great place, Hunt said, but how is his body holding up after 157 days of walking?
“I’m absolutely knackered, I can’t lie to you,” he laughed – before calling it a “healing journey”.
Hunt expects to be in Shetland for around three weeks, and he has encouraged anyone who sees him to stop him and speak to him as he goes.
You can follow his journey on his Instagram page here, and you can donate to his fundraiser here.
Anyone worried about their own or someone else’s alcohol use should visit the Shetland Alcohol and Drug Partnership website for information and details on how to access support.
Alternatively people can contact the Substance Support and Recovery Service based in the Lerwick Health Centre on 01595 743006 or the Shetland Recovery Hub and Community Network in Pitt Lane on 01595 744402.
A list of mental health support services available to people in Shetland can be found on the Healthy Shetland website.
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